


this place is a shelter

by seemeeimbeebee



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Drinking, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 06:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4866758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seemeeimbeebee/pseuds/seemeeimbeebee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He’d once read somewhere that ‘be safe’ was just another way of saying ‘I love you’."</p>
<p>Emma is celebrating finals by going to a house party at Zelena's with her boyfriend. Killian, as her best friend, has every reason to be worried.</p>
<p>[Rated T because there's a lot of swearing]</p>
            </blockquote>





	this place is a shelter

“That Criminology final paper was murder, no pun intended,” Emma groaned, pressing her forehead to the table. “But I’m glad it’s done, even though I’m not sure I knew what the hell I was talking about.”

Killian chuckled, but didn’t look up from his notebook, as he kept pouring over his marine biology notes. “I’m sure you were brilliant, Swan. But I can’t really talk. So can you either grab me a coffee or do flashcards with me?”

“Coffee I can do, I’m not staying here much longer if I don’t have to,” Emma responded, lifting her head off the table in the library café. “Black coffee, one sugar, right?” she asked, stretching her neck to let it crack a little. He nodded, biting his lip as he tried to memorize a definition that he could’ve sworn he knew. She brushed passed him, gently touching his shoulder as a show of encouragement.

If it wasn’t finals week, Killian would absolutely look deeper into her knowing his coffee order by heart and the little touch to his shoulder. But right now, all that mattered was passing the final he had in about two hours.

Her phone buzzed, and Neal’s name flashed up on the screen. He was the other reason why Killian refused to look into the coffee order and shoulder touch. He and Emma were strictly friends, and Emma was happily involved with her boyfriend. As long as Emma was happy, Killian was happy.

Still, he couldn’t help but repress a small scowl when Neal texted her again. Killian tried to convince himself that it was just the vibration that bothered him while he was trying to focus. Yeah. That was it. 

A few minutes later, Emma came back and placed the coffee in front of him before sitting across from him and glancing over her text messages. “Huh,” she said; her voice was carefully neutral. “There’s a party tonight at Zelena’s. Neal wants to go after we get dinner.”

“You’re all done with finals, aren’t you?” Killian asked, highlighting a sentence in his textbook. “Blast it all if I’m ever going to remember this for the damned test.”

Emma let out a huff of laughter, leaning thoughtfully toward him. “I deserve to have a little fun, don’t I?” He nodded, showing that he was listening. “Okay. I think I tell him I want to go too. What time are you done with your final?”

“According to the schedule, I have until 10:30 and I plan to use every sodding minute of it,” he replied, giving her a quick glance. “I know how parties at Zelena’s can be. Text me if you need me to come get you, all right?” He sat up fully, much to the complaint of his back after being hunched over a book for the last two days.

It was worth it, so Emma could understand just how serious he was. “I know that parties at Zelena’s can get out of hand sometimes. I don’t want you to feel like you’re stuck there. Or worse, you take a ride from someone who is in no business to offer you one. I don’t care what time it is. I don’t care if you wake me up,” he told her seriously.

Though she had been given this speech many times before by Killian, she never rolled her eyes or brushed him off. She remembered the utter agony she felt when she found him in his room only a year ago, sobbing on the floor around a broken bottle of Captain Morgan. She remembered the indescribable pain in his voice when he drunkenly told her about how his older brother had been hit and killed by a drunk driver. Since then, she always made sure to let him know when she was safe and back in her bed if she went out.

Emma was always touched by his concern and care for her, his need to make sure that she was okay when he wasn’t there looking out for her. It was something she wasn’t admittedly used to and was undeniably one of her favorite things about him.

“I’ll let you know if I need anything, okay?” Emma told him with a gentle smile. “In the meantime, don’t worry about me. Worry about your final.” She gave his shoulder a gentle and playful shove. “We probably won’t even get there until eleven or so. You’ll be done with your final before my night even starts.”

 Killian opened his mouth to protest, but Emma continued, “I know you’re worried about me, Killian. It’s gonna be okay. It’s just a party.” She got up and walked to the other side of the table so she could hug him tightly. Her grip tightened a little when she felt Killian bury his face against her shoulder for a moment. “Finals is stressing you out; don’t stress out about me on top of that.”

 “Maybe I should come with you,” Killian mumbled, pulling back a little bit, his blue eyes searching her face worriedly.

 “What you need is to get some sleep,” Emma laughed softly. “Tell you what: tomorrow, just you and me. We’ll have a Disney movie marathon. Maybe we’ll drive to Chipotle for lunch. I wish Chipotle delivery wasn’t, like, a million dollars…”

 “Won’t Neal want to join us?” Killian asked, letting her go so he could get back to studying.

 “He doesn’t like Disney. Or Chipotle,” Emma said with a shrug, hoisting her bag over her shoulder.

 “Well then why don’t you just dump him right now?” Killian teased. “If the man doesn’t like Disney or Chipotle, then what good is he?” Emma’s eyes lost a little bit of their happiness and Killian frowned. “Swan?”

 “I wish you wouldn’t talk about him like that,” Emma said quietly, giving him a sad and strained smile.

 “Is everything all right?” Killian asked worriedly. “Emma, I was only joking…you know I was.” Emma shrugged and gave him a half-hearted smile. “What has he done?” he asked, anger quickly taking over. “What has he done to you? If he’s laid a hand on you or hurt you in any way, I swear to God—”

“He hasn’t hurt me,” Emma said quickly.

 She’d told him about her less than great foster homes before.

 Seriously, Killian, he hasn’t laid a hand on me in any way I didn’t want.” There was nothing but the truth in her eyes, so Killian let himself relax a little bit. “We just had a fight a few days ago and things are still kind of tense, but getting better.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Killian asked worriedly. Emma looked down. “The fight was about me?” She nodded. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused any trouble. Whatever I did…I didn’t mean to.”

“No, no, it’s not something you did,” Emma said, smiling at him. It still looked sad, and Killian’s heart clenched. “I…we’ll talk about it tomorrow, okay? I’ve got to go back to my dorm and get ready for my date.”

“Emma, wait,” Killian said gently. He got up and pulled her back in for another hug. Emma wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes contently. “Text me if you need anything, all right?”

“I will.” When she pulled back, her happiness seemed to be more genuine. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Killian said, mostly to himself as he watched her go. He was grinning like an idiot and he knew it, but that was the effect she had on him.  “Be safe!” he yelled after her.

He’d once read somewhere that ‘be safe’ was just another way of saying ‘I love you’.

* * *

 “Hey, how was your paper?” Neal asked, kissing her cheek as she slid into his car.

“In my professor’s hands now, so don’t know and honestly don’t care as long as I pass,” Emma laughed, buckling herself in. “Where are we going to eat? I’m starving…”

“That little Italian place down on Main Street sound good?” Neal suggested, turning out of campus and heading down the road.

It was quiet for a few moments and Emma closed her eyes. God, she was exhausted all of a sudden. Maybe she could convince him to stay in tonight.

“Hey,” he said quietly, disrupting the silence of the car ride. She didn’t open her eyes though. “Emma, I’ve been thinking…you were right. It was stupid of me to get all up in arms about it. It was wrong of me to get as mad as I did. If you say he’s just your friend, then he’s just your friend.”

Emma’s eyes fluttered open and she looked over at him, unable to help her raised eyebrow. “What made you come to that conclusion? Did Ruby finally smack your head against the wall?” she asked, smiling a little bit.

“No, although it came pretty close,” Neal laughed. “I just…I figured that even if he did love you as more than a friend—and I’m not saying he does, I’m just saying, y’know hypothetically—you’re with me. You chose me.”

“It’s been almost been a full year since we started dating,” she said quietly, still smiling as she took one of Neal’s hands in her own. “I’d like my boyfriend and my best friend to…y’know, be friends maybe. Or at least be able to hang out with one another without it almost coming to blows.”

“That was one time,” Neal groaned playfully, and she giggled, bringing his hand up to his lips and kissing it. “It’s good to hear that sound again.” He smiled over at her. When they were at a red light, he leaned over to kiss her forehead. “Am I forgiven?”

“Yeah,” Emma replied, her smile lighting up her face. “You’re forgiven, Neal. Maybe I’ll even let you pay for dinner tonight.”

“Let me treat you for finishing your paper, huh?” Neal asked. “You’ve earned it, Emma. And then we’ll go out tonight and celebrate a little bit harder. You’re all done with finals, I’m all done with finals, it’ll be a blast.”

“Are you sure?” Emma asked, shifting a little bit in her seat. “Just about Zelena’s…it can get kind of wild over there, and I’m kinda tired.”

“Why don’t we go for like an hour? And if you’re not having fun we can go home, and if you are we can stay,” Neal suggested. “C’mon, I really want to go out, just for a little bit. And it’ll be good for you, I think.”

“Okay,” she replied.  “What’s the hurt in only going for an hour?”

Apparently, there was a lot of hurt in going to the party for an hour. She was drunk, way drunker than she wanted to be after Zelena had dared her to a ‘tequila shot’ contest. Emma hated being perceived as weak, especially in front of someone like Zelena, and so took to the challenge with gusto.

Now, five tequila shots in, she was absolutely miserable. The house was sweltering, and there were people touching her everywhere she went. She’d lost Neal about fifteen minutes into the party and when she finally found him, he was sitting very close to Zelena’s friend Tamara. They were both laughing, and Emma felt a twist in her stomach that didn’t have to do with alcohol.

“Neal, I want to go home,” Emma told him, tugging on Neal’s sleeve. “I don’t feel good. I want to go home.”

“In a little bit, okay, Emma? Why don’t you eat some bread or drink water or something? It’ll pass. You’ll be just fine,” he replied before turning his attention back to Tamara. “So anyway…”

She blamed the alcohol for the tears that pricked her eyes and she pushed her way out the front door. The world seemed to spin around her and she had to sit down on the front step. With shaking hands, she pulled out her phone and dialed Killian’s number.

“Hey, are you okay?” Killian asked worriedly, picking up after two rings, and Emma burst into heaving sobs. “Emma? What’s wrong?”

“I want to go home and Neal won’t take me home. He’s too busy talking to Tamara,” she cried. “I’m so drunk, Killian, and I hate it. I want to go home. I want to go home. Please come get me? Please.”

“Okay, okay,” he murmured soothingly. “I’m gonna come get you, all right? It’s okay. Do you want to go to the diner or something? Get you some onion rings?”

“No,” she moaned. “I want to go home.” Emma started to calm down a little while he kept murmuring soothing phrases in into the phone. It was a few minutes before she hiccupped and added, “Can I stay with you tonight, maybe? Ruby’s got a late shift at the diner and I don’t feel good.”

“Of course, Emma, of course I can do that for you,” Killian told her softly. “It’s okay. You’re going to be just fine. I’m getting my car keys and coat now, okay? I’ll be there in ten minutes. It’s gonna be okay, Emma. I’m here.”

“Who are you talking to?” Neal shouted from the doorway.

“It’s Killian, he’s going to take me home,” Emma called back. “I told you I wanted to go home; you wouldn’t listen.”

“Emma, Emma don’t be ridiculous. There’s no need to get him involved, okay?” Neal responded, snatching the phone from her hand. “She doesn’t need you, okay? I’m taking care of her. I’m taking her home. Leave her alone.” He hung up the phone and handed it back to Emma.

“What was that all about? I just wanted to go,” she snapped, standing up.  

“You couldn’t have waited five fucking minutes? You just had to call him?” Neal asked sharply. “I was going to get ready to go if you’d just waited.”

“You didn’t say that!” Emma answered, folding her arms over her chest.

“C’mon, we’re going home,” Neal muttered, stalking toward his car. “You know, I can’t believe you did that. Just went behind my back and called him. Didn’t even wait for me to finish talking.” 

* * *

_Neal’s taking me home. Will you still pick me up from my dorm? I really don’t want to be there by myself._

_Of course, love. Just text me as soon as you get there, all right? I’ll come get you. Are you still feeling sick?_

Killian checked the exchange again. The little check icon—the one that told him she had seen it—was taunting him. It had been over an hour since she had texted him. He tried not to get overwhelmed. He’d called Emma twice with no response. He’d texted Ruby about twenty minutes ago, hoping maybe Neal had brought her to the diner.

_Hey, it’s Ruby. On my break so I can’t talk too much. Still haven’t heard from her?_

_No. Have you?_

_Not a thing. It’s not like her. I’m worried._

_Me too._

At this point, she just wanted to make sure that she was alive. He had no idea where Emma was, if she was hurt or not, or even if someone was taking care of her. Killian’s face hardened at the way Neal had just suddenly grabbed her phone and disconnected their call, and started pacing around his dorm again.

“Mate, I’m sure it’s gonna be okay,” Robin, his roommate, said quietly. “I’m sure she and Neal are either sleeping or watching a movie or something. You’re worried over nothing.”

“She’s my best friend,” Killian replied agitatedly. “And I’m telling you, Robin, something’s not right. If she was okay, she would’ve let me know. She always does.”

“Regina said she had a—and I quote—tequila shot drinking contest with Zelena. Not many people are all right after something like that,” Robin chuckled, trying to bring some lightness back into Killian’s mood.

“And Regina’s sure Emma’s not there?” Killian asked worriedly. “She’s sure that Emma and Neal left Zelena’s?”

“It’s the same answer as when you asked me five minutes ago: yes. They left. Regina watched them leave. They got in Neal’s car and drove off,” Robin said patiently. Killian sighed and ran a hand over his face before resuming his frantic pacing. The corner of Robin’s lip quirked upward in amusement. “You love her, don’t you?”

“What?” That certainly stopped Killian his tracks. “Don’t be…don’t be bloody ridiculous. I don’t love her—not like that. She’s my friend. My _best_ friend. All I wish is for her happiness,” he insisted, eyebrows furrowed as he looked over at Robin, who was grinning from ear to ear now. “What the bloody hell is your problem?”

Robin burst out into a fit of laughter.  “Don’t you dare lie to me, Killian Jones. You love her!”

“I do not!” Killian nearly shouted back, though admittedly, he wasn’t quite sure as to why he was getting so worked up over this.

Robin was practically wheezing with how hard he was laughing. “You sodding arse, you’re so in love with her. Oh, bloody hell, this is hysterical. No wonder you refuse to give that Neal bloke a chance. You’re so in love with her! You have it so bad.”

Killian took a pillow off of his bed and chucked it at Robin’s head, but that only served to encourage the laughter, rather than cease it. “Oi! Shut the hell up!”

“This is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!” Robin cackled, gasping for breath. “You love Emma Swan! Don’t even try to deny it, mate, the look on your face says it all. Oh, this is brilliant. All those times we tried to set you up with Ariel, Aurora, Mulan—”

“In my defense, the last girl you mentioned is a lesbian and is highly interested in the second girl you mentioned, so,” Killian replied, sitting on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling. “So what if I am in love with her? That doesn’t…change anything between us. She’s still my best friend…I’d do anything for her and she’d do anything for me. Why does it matter if I love her like that?”

“I suppose it doesn’t,” Robin conceded, calming down a little bit. “Though I guess it also explains Neal’s behavior too, a little bit, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Killian replied moodily. “Have I just made things harder for her? By wanting to be there for her and care for her—as friends do, please don’t misunderstand me—have I just made things harder for her and Neal? Am I standing in the way of her happiness? Should I not have taken that call?”

“I think you did the right thing by taking her call,” Robin told him, rolling over onto his stomach looking over at him. “If that makes you feel any better. You want to be the best friend you can be for her, and that includes rescuing her from bad parties. As for making things harder for her and Neal…that’s probably something you’ve got to talk about with her.”

“Thanks,” Killian said with a quiet smile. “Can I have my pillow back now?” Robin threw it back at him and both boys chuckled. The brief lightness of the mood was interrupted by Killian’s phone ringing. “Ruby, have you--?” All the color drained from his face. “Oh god. Yeah. Yeah, I’m…I can be down in five minutes. Do you know if she’s okay? Fuck. Okay. Yeah. See you then.”

 “What’s wrong?” Robin asked worriedly.

 “Neal’s car crashed. He and Emma are in the hospital.”

* * *

Later, Killian realized he didn’t remember a single detail of the trip from his dorm room to the hospital. It was like magic that he and Ruby were sitting in the waiting room. He just sat there, staring at the tiled floor trying not to think of Liam.

Ruby was arguing with either a nurse or a doctor. He wasn’t sure who was who. “Look! Her parents won’t be here for hours. They’re coming from, like, Bumblefuck, Maine. They spoke to you. Told you that you had permission to tell me what was going on with her! Why can’t you tell me anything?”  

“Because there’s nothing to tell. She’s in surgery and she’s been in surgery for the last forty-five minutes and she could be in surgery for the next few hours. Her injuries were very severe,” the other person said with a kind but firm tone. “Please sit down. You’re causing a fuss.”

“Damn right I’m causing a fuss,” Ruby snarled, stalking back to her seat next to Killian. “Oh, just you wait, buddy, I was raised by Granny fricking Lucas, I’ll show you what kind of a fuss I can raise.”

“Ruby, it’s not gonna do anything,” Killian said in a hollow voice. The sound of footsteps approaching them caused Killian to jerk his head up, desperate for news. Instead of a doctor heading their way, it was Neal. He took in a deep breath, and forced himself to be cordial. “It’s good to see you up and about.”

“Yeah,” Neal replied, leaning against his portable IV. “The, uh, doctor said I had some friends here and I figured you’d wanna, you know, go where there’s a tv or something. Did they say anything? Do you know how she’s doing?”

“All we know is that she’s in surgery,” Ruby replied. “I spoke to her parents, they’re on their way, they’ll be here as soon as they can.”

Killian quietly took stock of Neal’s injuries, wanting to know how the hell Emma was in surgery, fighting for her life when all he could see on Neal was a deep gash across his forehead and a bandaged up hand. 

“How are you?” he finally managed to spit out. “How are you feeling?”

“Well they have me on painkillers, so physically not too terrible. It’s just my hand, really, and a few bruised ribs,” Neal said with a shrug. “I was lucky…c’mon, let’s head back to my hospital room. I bet I could get you guys some apple juice or something.”

“Thanks, mate,” Killian said with a strained smile. They walked all the way back to Neal’s room in silence and sat down. The tension was thick and heavy and Killian was dying to ask the one question that really mattered to him.

In the end, Ruby beat him to it. “So what the hell happened?” she asked in a hushed voice, looking over Neal’s injuries. “I mean…it must’ve been bad, but like…what even…I don’t understand how something this could even happen.”

“I took the long way back to campus from Zelena’s,” Neal started, rubbing a hand over his face. “Because there are less stops and Emma was feeling nauseous. And there was a curve and it was so sharp and it came so fast…” He ran a hand over his face. “The next thing I knew, the car was upside down.”

Killian’s stomach lurched, and he clenched his jaw. He looked at the floor, wishing he could sit beside Emma right then. He had no idea what he was going to do if she wasn’t okay.

“How’d you guys find out what happened anyway?” Neal asked, leaning back against the pillows in his bed. He was winded from walking through the hallway.

“Emma’s parents called me,” Ruby said quietly. “They’re on their way, but they didn’t want her to be alone if she woke up before they got there.”

“Emma’s parents are coming?” Neal asked, going a little white. “Oh shit…” 

_He must’ve not processed it the first time Ruby said it_ , Killian supposed.

Killian hadn’t met Emma’s adoptive parents, Mary Margaret and David Nolan, but Emma had told him things about them. He knew that Mrs. Nolan was an elementary school teacher, and Mr. Nolan was the chief of police in Emma’s hometown. He also knew that Mrs. Nolan came from a very wealthy family and had a scholarship founded for foster care children who were about to exit the system. The interview process was how they’d met.

Emma, who had only been used to cruel parents and abandonment, smiled a little bit as she told him, “It was on my seventeenth birthday. I sat across from Mrs. Nolan, and we both…just knew that she was supposed to be my mom, and that she was supposed to adopt me. It was like a fairytale. She cried and hugged me after my interview. The Nolans put me up in their home for two months and then paid a ridiculous amount of money for the adoption to be cleared in four weeks after that.”

He tried to hold onto her smile in his mind’s eye, and it felt like a sucker punch to the stomach when he realized it wasn’t even close to the real thing.

_Liam, if you can hear me_ , he thought. _Please keep her safe. Please make sure she comes back._

* * *

It was close to four in the morning when Mr. and Mrs. Nolan walked in quietly to Neal’s room. Neal and Ruby were asleep, but Killian was too agitated to sleep. They had been waiting for three hours now, and still no word about Emma’s condition. His head jerked from watching the television when he heard the door creak, praying it was a doctor.

“Sorry, did we wake you?” Mary Margaret whispered as she stepped into the door. Killian shook his head. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Mary Margaret Nolan. I’m Emma’s mother.” She extended her hand toward him and Killian shook it.

“Killian Jones,” he introduced himself.

“David,” she said to her husband, who was carrying in a large cooler and several blankets. He’d be ready for a tailgate in any other circumstance. “ _This_ is Killian Jones.”

“Huh,” David replied, his eyebrows shooting up. He shook Killian’s hand firmly. “Nice to meet you, Killian. Emma’s told us a lot about you.”

Killian dutifully tried to ignore the flush of his cheeks and the feeling of pride that swelled up in his chest at the realization that Emma talked about him when they weren’t at school.

“Any word from the doctors?” Mary Margaret asked worriedly. Killian shook his head again. She bit her lip and shared a look with her husband. “Have you been awake this whole time, Killian?” she asked gently. He nodded. “David, why don’t we get the hot cocoa all set up and Killian can tell us what happened, hmm?”

“I wasn’t at the party. I wasn’t there when the car crashed,” Killian mumbled, his voice choking up a little bit as Mary Margaret draped a blanket over his shoulders. He hadn’t realized how cold he was, how cold and impersonal the hospital seemed.

“That’s okay,” Mary Margaret said softly, smiling at him kindly. “Just tell us what you know.”

So he did, launching into the story and everything he knew. Part of him felt like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar as he mumbled out the story, but it didn’t make sense for him to feel that way. Emma’s parents just wanted to know what happened to their daughter. They weren’t looking to blame anyone, at least not yet.  

“I’m sorry,” he finally muttered, his eyes downcast, when he was finished. He couldn't bear to look them in the eye. “I should’ve been there for her. I should’ve gotten her. This is my fault.”

Mary Margaret pulled him into a hug. Killian was shocked by the embrace, as his mother had died when he was very young. He quickly melted into it, feeling lost and scared. “It’s not your fault,” she soothed. “You did what you could for Emma. No one blames you.”

Killian nodded, clenching his jaw. “Thank you,” he whispered, still not meeting her gaze.

“It’ll be okay,” Mary Margaret said softly, hugging Killian tightly for a moment longer before the doctor came in.

“Excuse me, I’m Dr. Lawn. Are you Mr. Cassidy’s parents?” the doctor asked.

“David Nolan, Emma Swan’s father,” David introduced himself, deliberately letting the doctor see the glint of his badge. “We spoke to Neal’s father, Robert Gold, a few hours ago, but the conversation was very brief. We assumed he would come down here, but I guess he hasn’t come yet.”

“What about his mother?” Dr. Lawn asked.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Neal muttered, his eyes fluttering open. “The old man doesn’t care about me. And my mother’s been dead for fifteen years.”

“I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Cassidy, but could you please try and contact your father? We have some questions about your family’s medical history and we can’t seem to get in touch with him,” the doctor explained. His eyes flickered up toward David before returning back to Neal. “I realize this is…less than standard procedure, but we really need to speak to your father.”

“I’ll call,” David finally said, heading into the hallway. “Let the poor kid rest a little bit before talking to his father.” Neal nodded thankfully at David, before David went out into the hallway. The first doctor followed David out of the room before a second doctor came into the room.

“Excuse me,” the man said gently to Mary Margaret. “Are you Emma Swan’s mother?”

“Yes!” Mary Margaret said, shooting up immediately. “How is she?”

“I’m Dr. Seward,” the man said, shaking her hand. “Emma’s still in surgery, but as of right now, she’s doing very well. I just had some questions about her alcohol intake for the evening. Do you know what she drank and how much?”

Mary Margaret shook her head and looked at Neal, who shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

“It was tequila,” Killian said quietly, looking up at the doctor. “She had a tequila drinking contest with the host. It would’ve been a lot of shots in under ten minutes. Probably four or five, if I had to make a guess.”

“How do you know that?” Neal asked, a trace of irritation in his voice.

“Robin told me. Regina was there and when I hadn’t heard from Emma in an hour, I asked Robin to ask Regina if you guys were still there,” Killian explained, not looking over at Neal.

“Why would Emma text you?” Neal asked, folding his arms, wincing as he agitated his bruised ribs.

“She always texts me to let me know she’s home safe when she goes out. And she texted me to let me know you were taking her home.” Killian replied, glaring back at Neal. “Why the bloody hell do you need to know?”

“Because I’m her boyfriend,” Neal snapped. “And you don’t need to have her check in with you like that.”

“We’re friends, or can you not get your jealous head out of your arse?” Killian fired back.

“ _Boys_."

The word cut across the room and both Killian and Neal looked up guiltily at Mary Margaret. Ruby jerked awake out of her sleep from the sheer sharpness of Mrs. Nolan’s tone, staring blearily around the room. “Now is not the time or place,” she said firmly.  “You are both important to Emma, and you both are allowed to care for her. I don’t want to hear you fighting about this again, or you will be kept from seeing her when she wakes up. She doesn’t need this right now. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both mumbled, ducking their heads.

“Hi, Mrs. Nolan,” Ruby mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

Mary Margaret smiled fondly. “Hi, Ruby, dear,” she said softly. She looked back at the doctor. “Can we speak in the hallway?” The doctor nodded and led Mary Margaret out.

It was quiet, the tension palpable before Neal spoke. He didn’t look up at them the entire time. “I didn’t think it would make a difference…I’d driven that road over so many times before with that much in my system. I knew that curve was there. I figured it’d be okay…I just wanted to get her home. I was so mad that she called you.”

“You’d been drinking?” Ruby asked, horrified. Neal nodded. “Neal, how could you?”

“It was an accident,” Neal replied, tears coming to his eyes. “I didn’t…I didn’t think she’d want to go home after an hour. I figured if I drank earlier in the night, I’d be to go home. But then she called Killian and she was crying and I was so angry…she made it seem like I wasn’t looking after her. She went behind my back.”

“You sodding bastard,” Killian snarled lowly. “You put your life—and more importantly Emma’s life—in danger because you were jealous? Because her wanting to go home was a hit to your pride?”

“I wasn’t thinking—”

“Damn right, you weren’t thinking!” Killian roared. “She’s been in surgery for hours and it’s all your fault, you son of a bitch! She trusted you to take care of her! She trusted you with her life, with her safety! She sodding _loves_ you, and that wasn’t enough for you! If she dies, I’m going to fucking kill you, do you understand me?”

“Killian, stop!” Ruby hissed, putting her hand on Killian’s shoulder. “If Mrs. Nolan hears you, she’s not going let you see Emma!”  

The threat was enough to subdue Killian, but his heart plummeted into his stomach when he saw Emma’s mother standing in the doorway. Her arms were folded over her chest. “A word outside please, Killian,” she told him.    

Killian followed her with his head kept down. She sat him down in a few chairs outside Neal’s room. She opened her mouth to speak, and he immediately burst into tears. He was practically shuddering as he wept. All the while, he kept trying to explain what had happened while she had been speaking with the doctor.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Nolan! I’m sorry…I know you said not to fight with him, not about Emma, but she cares about him so much and with all that’s happened, I feel like he doesn’t care about her, not the way he should. Please let me see Emma, please, I won’t pick a fight with him anymore. I promise…I just want to know that she’s okay. I don’t want to lose her, not like I lost Liam. Please let me see Emma.”

He shuddered and shook with the force of his sobs, gasping for air as he sat there and cried in front of Emma’s mother. Eventually, she pulled his head to her shoulder as he tried to calm down. Her hand found the back of his hair and stroked it soothingly. She hushed him gently, and he cried even harder. No one held him like this in a very long time.

When he finally calmed down, he pulled back a little bit, wiping at his eyes. “Sorry, Mrs. Nolan,” he mumbled. “I shouldn’t have lost control like that. Please let me see Emma.”

“Liam was your older brother, right?” Mary Margaret asked gently. Killian nodded. “He died in a drunk driving accident, Emma told me.”

“He did,” he choked out.

“This must be bringing up a lot of painful memories for you.”

“It is.” He could barely get the words out.

“She called me, the night you found out your brother died. Did you know that?” Mary Margaret told him. Killian shook his head. “I’ve only ever seen or heard Emma cry once before, and they were happy tears. It was when we told we were adopting her.” The woman smiled, briefly lost in the memory. “She called me in hysterics.”

“I don’t remember her crying,” Killian admitted softly. “I remember I cried most of the night. She sat on the floor with me while I cried.”

“After you went to bed, she called,” Mary Margaret explained. “She was so upset and scared for you that she couldn’t even get the words out. I thought she’d been hurt, or she’d done something illegal and that she was in jail. But it wasn’t that, she was just so worried about you.” The woman was quiet for a minute before she finally added, “She didn’t think she could help you get past it. She said she couldn’t…imagine what it was like to lose the one bit of family she had left in the world. I told her that you were still his family.”

“How did you know?” Killian asked, shocked that Emma had been that scared for him. She had never shown it, as he recalled. She’d listened when he needed her, she stayed on the nights he couldn’t bear to be alone.  She was his rock. Now he needed to be hers.

Mary Margaret smiled sympathetically, her hand still on his shoulder. “You know, when Emma first brought Neal to meet us, I thought he was you,” she finally said. “Every time I asked her where she was going, or who she was with it was always ‘Killian and I are going to do this…’ or ‘I’m going to Killian’s for the night’.”

“Really?” Killian asked in a hushed whisper, looking over at her.

Mary Margaret nodded, smiling softly. “You may not be the person she’s with, Killian, but you’re absolutely someone she loves. Don’t forget that.” She took her hand off Killian’s shoulder and looked down for a moment. “Neal was drunk, wasn’t he? When he drove Emma home.”

Killian nodded. “How did you know?” he asked, in a whisper.

“The doctors told us,” Mary Margaret replied, the smile finally falling from her lips.

“I’m sorry,” Killian told her. “I should’ve gone to get her.”

“Did you know?” Mary Margaret asked him, looking back up at him.

“Not until he told us,” Killian replied, shaking a little bit. “But I knew something wasn’t right. I should’ve gone anyway. I should’ve brought her home…I would’ve if I had known, I swear it.”

“Then it’s not your fault, Killian. Don’t put all this blame on yourself.”

“How can you look him in the eye?” Killian asked, his voice cracking as he looked down at the floor. “How can you reassure him that things will be all right when you know what he did to her?”

“Because he doesn’t have anyone,” Mary Margaret sighed sadly. “He may have a biological father who gives him a home, and pays for things but…I just couldn’t be angry at someone who had the same look in his eyes as Emma did when I first met her. As angry and scared as I am, I just can’t bring myself to take it out on him.”

Killian supposed that Mary Margaret was stronger than he ever could be.

Mary Margaret looked down sympathetically at him. “When’s the last time you slept?” she asked softly. He opened his mouth to object, but she was more firm. “Sleep, Killian. It might help the time pass a little bit, okay? We’ll wake you when we hear more.”

She led Killian back into Neal’s room and set up a makeshift bed with two chairs for him. Ruby had moved to the other side of the room and moved closer toward Killian when he came back in. Neal was sleeping again, his brief burst of energy depleted.

Killian closed his eyes, resting his head on his folded arms. He was almost asleep when a new set of footsteps entered the room.

“Any luck?” Mary Margaret asked the new person.

“He started sending me to voicemail after one ring. I think he may have even blocked my number by now, I don’t know,” David sighed, running a hand over his face. He grimaced at his wife. “Everything okay in here? How’s Emma?”

“The doctor says she’s putting up a pretty good fight,” Mary Margaret told him with a sad smile.

“Sounds like Emma,” Killian whispered to himself.

* * *

“Killian! Killian, wake up!” Ruby hissed. “The doctor just came in to get Emma’s Mom and Dad!”

“Did I miss the final?” he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes. Something didn’t feel right. Then he opened his eyes, and remembered everything that happened all at once. “Emma?” he asked softly, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him.

“Killian, look,” Ruby said quietly.

Outside the room, Mary Margaret and David were talking to a doctor. David’s arms were wrapped his wife tightly. Killian couldn’t see their faces.

“Don’t tell me she’s gone,” he whispered brokenheartedly. “Please…please don’t tell me we lost her.”

“I don’t know,” Ruby replied in a shaking voice. “The doctor just came in and asked to speak to them privately. I…I don’t know what we’ll do if we’ve lost her. She has to be okay. She has to…”

Mary Margaret crumpled in David’s embrace, her sobs audible from inside the room. David stroked his wife’s hair and held her close. Killian and Ruby couldn’t see their faces, but Killian wasn’t even sure he wanted to.

“No…” Killian whispered, shaking his head. “No…” He stood up abruptly. “Where is she? She can’t be gone, she can’t. I need to find her. I need to tell her…” His breath came out in quick bursts, tears filling his eyes. “She can’t be gone…she can’t.” He looked down at Ruby and saw his own helplessness and grief reflected on her face.

“Killian? Ruby?” David asked gently. He was standing in the doorway, tear tracks evident on his face. Mary Margaret was standing in the hallway, sobbing into her hand, hunched over.

“What’d they say?” Ruby asked.

Killian barely heard her. _Emma died alone, surrounded by strangers,_ he thought miserably _. I should’ve been there. I should’ve gotten her. She would’ve been okay. What am I going to do without her? How can I survive losing her? How can—_

“Emma’s out of surgery. They saved her. She’s _alive_.”

Killian’s thoughts immediately stopped and he gaped at Emma’s father. “She’s okay?” he croaked out, not trusting his voice to do any more than that.

David nodded, tears springing back into his eyes. “She’s okay. The doctors are going to let Mary Margaret and I see her in a little bit.”

Killian crumpled to the floor, deliriously laughing and crying all at once. Emma had survived.

Ruby joined him on the floor and they both cried, hugging one another. “She’s okay, she’s okay,” she gasped, a smile lighting up her face. “She made it back to us.”

Killian nodded, rubbing at his eyes. “What took them so long?” he rasped out, pulling himself and Ruby up into a chair. David began describing the extensive injuries Emma had, and Killian felt his gut clench. She’d had several broken ribs, severe internal bleeding, and a bad head injury to name a few things.

They really had come so close to losing her.

“But she’s going to be okay. The doctors said she did beautifully.” David made hot cocoa for all the people who were awake. It wasn’t lost on Killian that he made no move to wake up Neal. Mary Margaret soon joined them, and the four of them worked on calming down. Every so often, Killian would just grin at the floor, reminded all over again that Emma was alive.

Killian was starting to fall asleep again when the doctor knocked on the door. “Emma’s awake,” Dr. Lawn said gently.  “She’s asking for you.” He started to rise, but then realize that the good doctor meant Emma’s parents. He stood, half standing thinking of how he longed to see Emma. “Don’t worry,” the doctor addressed Ruby and Killian. “I’ll make sure you get a chance to come see her when she’s up to having more visitors.”

He sat back down at the promise of seeing Emma and nodded thankfully at the doctor. David and Mary Margaret left the room, holding hands as they walked down the hallway.

It was only then that Neal woke up. “Any news on Emma?” he croaked out hopefully.

Killian clenched his jaw shut, honestly wanting less and less to speak to Neal now that he knew Emma was alive and that he knew Emma’s parents knew. But the fact still remained that Emma still loved Neal and there was nothing he can do about it. He looked down at his hands so he would avoid looking at the son of a bitch who’d hurt her in the first place.

Ruby answered, “She’s out of surgery. She’s gonna be okay.”

Neal sighed with relief, rubbing at his eyes a little bit. “Good,” he whispered in a wavering voice. “I’m glad she’s okay. Do you know when we’ll get to go see her?”

“Not for a little bit,” Ruby replied. “Emma’s parents just went to go see her. It’ll probably be a little while yet.” 

“Mr. Cassidy, we’d like to wheel you down to radiology to take a look at how your hand looks,” Neal’s doctor said kindly.

“Could we stop by my girlfriend’s room after?” Neal asked hopefully. “They said she’s awake, and I want to talk to her.”

Killian felt his heart plummet into his stomach when the doctor agreed. _Emma’s an adult_ , he reminded himself. _A good friend will stand by her and whatever choices she makes. If she still wants to be with Neal, you still have to be there for her, regardless of whether or not you agree._ Still, he felt like scum for loving her as much as he did when she was so happy with Neal.

* * *

She had come into consciousness once before, she remembered only one thing clearly and that was asking for her parents. When Emma woke up, really woke up, everything was sore and she hurt all over, which meant one thing:

_I'm alive. Oh my God. I’m alive._

She felt a familiar and warm hand in her hair and her eyes fluttered open. “Dad,” she croaked out, smiling up at her father. “Is Mom—”

“I’m right here, sweetheart,” Mary Margaret said in a choked voice from Emma’s other side. “How are you feeling?”

So it hadn’t been a dream. She’d asked for them and they came. Just as they always had. Just as they always would. “Rough,” Emma answered in a gravelly voice. “But I’m so glad you’re here.” Her hand found her mother’s and squeezed it tightly. “I was really scared.”

“So were we,” David told her, not even bothering to hide the tears that were running down his cheeks. “We’re just glad you’re okay, Emma.” He kissed her forehead and Emma gladly pressed into it. “Just relax, okay? We’re here for you now. We’re going to take care of you.”

“We love you so much,” Mary Margaret told her, kissing her hand. “Try not to scare us like that again, okay?”

“Okay,” Emma promised softly. She let her eyes flutter shut for a moment as she adjusted to being awake. “Is Neal okay?” she finally asked after a few minutes. “He was in the car…I don’t…I don’t remember what happened after the car flipped over.”

“Shh, shhh, it’s okay,” David soothed, stroking her hair. “You don’t have to try and remember everything all at once. Neal’s okay. Just a few minor injuries.”

Emma sighed with relief. “The curve just came up so fast…” She sat there, biting her lip, as it all slowly trickled in.

_It was dark. He wasn’t paying attention but he knew the road. She cried out at him to watch for the curve, why hadn’t he seen the curve it was right in front of him_ —

She gasped a little bit at the realization that Neal hadn’t taken her home right away because he’d been drinking. Her parents noticed the gasp and hovered over her. “Just moved wrong,” she lied.

“If you’re sure,” her father replied worriedly, stroking her hair back and tucking it behind her ear. “Don’t be afraid to tell us when it really hurts, okay?”

She nodded, letting her eyes flutter shut again. They flew open as she continued to put the details of the night back together.

_Leaving the party, the fight, the phone call, pleading for Killian to come get her—_

“Oh crap, Killian!” she exclaimed, remembering her best friend who she’d texted and then didn’t respond to. “He must be freaking out! He’s going to flip when he realizes I got into an accident.”

“He’s here,” Mary Margaret said with a soft chuckle. “When the hospital called us, we called Ruby and she and Killian came here together. He’s been here all night, waiting for news on you.”

“Crap,” Emma hissed, resting her head back on the pillow. “He’s going to hate me for scaring him like that.” She remembered the broken look on his face when he found out about Liam and her stomach twisted at the thought of putting that look on his face.

“I think you’ll find he’s relieved you’re okay,” Neal’s voice floated into the doorway. He was sitting in a wheelchair, biting his lip apprehensively. She shifted nervously, feeling guilty that she’d been worried about Killian. “Emma, can I just…have a minute alone with you?”

David stood protectively over his daughter, with his arms folded. Mary Margaret stood up, not to ask David to stand down but to stand with him.

_Holy crap, they know,_ she realized, trying not to gawk at her parents.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now,” David said in a clipped and stern voice. “Emma’s tired. She needs her rest.” 

“Mom? Dad?” Emma told them. “It’s okay.”

She looked at Neal. Though they were only about ten feet apart, she felt a chasm open up between them. He could’ve been a thousand miles away, and she would’ve felt the same. Something had irrevocably had been changed between the two of them. She wondered if he could feel it too, and knew she needed to talk to him, and she needed to talk to him alone.

“It’s really okay,” Neal said quietly. “We’re just talking.”

They looked back at her, their mirrored agony so evident that it made her heart clench. Never in a million years had she imagined this for herself. She could’ve imagined as a young child that she’d ever have this many people care for her.

“Could you maybe find my doctor and figure out what my pain medicine schedule is going to be like? And maybe get Killian and Ruby? I wanna see them,” she said softly.

“You really do need to rest,” Mary Margaret replied, looking down at her.

“I’ll go back to sleep soon. Please? I want to talk to them while I have a little bit of strength. They deserve to know that I’m okay, especially if they’ve been here all night,” Emma murmured. She smiled at them. “It’s okay. I’ll call the nurses if it really gets to be too much.”

“We’ll be right back, okay?” David promised in a low voice, kissing her forehead. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her and she nestled into them as best she could. “Love you, Emma,” he whispered into her hair.

“Love you too, Dad,” she replied softly, briefly touching her forehead to his. He let go of her, and her mother kissed her forehead. “Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, Emma.” Mary Margaret briefly set up the bed so Emma could recline and look Neal in the eye.

Neal rolled into the room and parked his wheelchair next to Emma’s side. He was quiet for a moment before he explained, “It’s just easier to get me from room to room this way. They don’t totally walking on my own yet because of my bruised ribs. It’s not…yeah.”

Emma nodded, carefully looking him over. She was so glad he was alive, and that they had both physically made it out of the ordeal.

“I’m sorry,” Neal said softly, taking her hand. “I never should’ve…I was drunk, I’m not usually…well, shit that’s not really a good excuse either. But I need you to know how sorry I am that I did this to you, Emma.”

She squeezed his hand back gently. “I forgive you,” she told him. Emma let her fingers run over the soft cast on his hand. Silence reigned in the room for about a minute before Emma added, “I’m breaking up with you.”

“Probably a good idea,” Neal chuckled lowly, a self-deprecating sound. “I don’t blame you, not even a little bit.” He still gently held her hand, trying to get his words together. “He stayed up most of the night, waiting for the doctors to come tell us you were okay. Killian. He’s…better than I gave him credit for.”

“Now you realize,” Emma teased weakly. She bit her lip and squeezed Neal’s hand. “What happens now?” she asked. “For you. For us.”

“Well, the doctors know and your parents know, but I haven’t seen any police yet, so maybe that’s just my old man’s ‘magic’ at work,” Neal said wryly. “Not that I have any interest of going to trial or prison or anything.” He bit his lip. “Unless you want to put me in prison?” he asked hesitantly.

“I don’t want to ruin your life like that,” she replied. “Regardless of…you know, us being in the middle of breaking up, I still care about you.”

“I care about you too, Em. Putting you in danger like that…I don’t even really want to get behind the wheel of a car again anyway. At least not for a while.”

Emma nodded. “You’ll be okay,” she said softly. “Someday.” She knew she ought to be angry, but for whatever reason, she wasn’t. She’d be angry later, she figured, but now she just wanted to start moving on and healing. 

“Someday,” Neal agreed. He let go of her hand and began to head out of the room. “I don’t know if this would be at all possible,” he started shyly. “But if we could be friends again. In the future maybe?”

“Someday,” Emma said with a little smile. The thought of being okay with what happened and what he did made her feel hopeful. But still, she couldn’t help but notice one aspect of his request. “Only friends?”

“Even if I didn’t know that there is someone waiting to tell you just how much he loves you, Emma, I don’t think we could go back to that ever again. If I’m right…I think you care about him just as much.”

He was right, and they both knew it.

“Bye, Neal,” Emma said quietly.

Her voice was choked up, but she wasn’t thinking about Neal. She was remembering Disney movie nights and Chipotle; I’m okay texts; laughter, tears and a warm pair of blue eyes that sparkled up when she entered the room. She was remembering soft hugs, fierce loyalty and the warmth that spread in her chest whenever she was wrapped up against him. She thought she knew what love was all along, and she had.

She’d just been looking in the wrong direction.

“Bye, Emma,” Neal replied and gave her a wavering smile. He rolled out the door, trying not to watch the way her face softened and lit up as she thought. He leaned back in the wheelchair and let the nurse take over wheeling him down the hallway. It was only when he rounded the corner and out of Emma’s line of vision that he allowed himself to cry.   

* * *

 Killian stood in the door to her room, a lump in his throat. Her eyes were closed, and she looked so peaceful reclining in her bed. The early morning sun lit up her hair, and he didn’t want to disrupt that moment of peace.

Her parents had come to get him, telling him that she was awake and specifically asking for him and Ruby. Ruby, with something of a sly smile, told him that he ought to go in first in case she ran out of energy and went back to sleep.

“I know you’re there, Killian,” Emma said softly, her eyes fluttering open. “Come sit by me?” He did as he was told and pulled his chair up by her bedside.

“How are you feeling?” Killian asked worriedly, gently holding her hand with both of his.

“Tired. Sore,” she mumbled. “I don’t know how long I can stay awake for, sorry—”

“That’s all right, Swan. I’m just so relieved you’re okay,” Killian whispered, shaking a little bit as he sat there, holding her hand all the while. “I was worried I’d lost you.”

“I’m still here,” she whispered, shifting as best she could without hurting herself so she could look at him. She reached out and gently cupped his face in her hand. Her thumb dragged slowly across his cheek and Killian leaned into it.

He took her hand and caught it in his again. Holding it made everything feel real, made him remember that she was alive. The scratches on her hand made Killian’s heart clench and she had to know, at least before she went back to sleep. “There’s something you should know,” he mumbled softly.

“I have to tell you something too,” she mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut again. “It’s kind of important too.”

“You first, you look like you’re ready to fall back asleep any moment now,” Killian urged gently. “My news can wait. I’ll be here as long as you need me.”

Emma smiled sleepily at him, her eyes opening blearily. “You stayed up all night for me,” she said, her voice full of awe. “Do…do I really mean that much to you?”

“Aye,” Killian said quietly, not trusting his voice to break the spell of the moment. “You mean so much to me, and I couldn’t…is it all right if I tell you my thing first?”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Killian,” she mumbled, running her thumb across his knuckles. “Why do you look so anxious?”

He bit his lip. “You’re going to think the worst of me, Swan,” he said in something of a defeated voice.

“Why?” Emma asked worriedly. “Killian? What happened? What’s wrong?”

“I…” Killian sighed. “I love you. As more than a friend. And I know that you’re happy with Neal and know that I would never, ever do anything to hurt you or sabotage your relationship with Neal. But you’re so…you’re…” He looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her to understand. “You’re _Emma_.”

Emma smiled softly. Her eyes were filled with some emotion he couldn’t recognize and she patted the space on the bed beside her. He sat in the spot she indicated, looking down at her worriedly. “You’re Killian,” she replied softly.

He nodded, bracing himself for dismissal and rejection when she leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. His hand came up to brush her hair back, stomach clenching when his hand grazed along the bandages wrapped around her head as it made its way down to her neck.

She pulled back a little bit. It dropped him back in the moment and he realized what exactly he’d just done.

“But Neal,” he breathed softly against her lips when they broke apart. He didn’t open his eyes in case he was so sleep deprived that he was making all this up. His hand came up and cupped her battered cheek. It felt like he was holding onto fragile glass, and if he breathed too hard or too loud, the moment would break.

“I broke up with Neal,” she whispered softly. Killian’s eyes flew open to make sure that Emma wasn’t playing a trick on him. He felt like he could barely breathe when she gently pressed her forehead to his. “It’s always been you. And I didn’t even realize until…he asked me if we could be friends again someday.”

She let out a watery giggle as his thumb slid down to gently press the dip in her chin. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying,” she sniffled, looking up at him.

He didn’t care. “So just to clarify: you don’t think I’m the worst person alive for being in love with you?” Killian teased weakly, his own voice shaking.

She was here; she was alive; they belonged to one another. His eyes started to fill with tears as he listened to her breathe.

“Only if I’m the worst for being in love with you,” she laughed as tears slid down her cheeks. She smiled as she pulled back a little bit, wiping at her eyes. “I think that’s the sign I need to go back to sleep. Will you still be here?” she croaked out.

“As if I’d be anywhere else,” he promised, sliding back into the chair. Killian smiled at her and kissed her hand gently. She closed her eyes, and was soon sleeping peacefully. Killian let his eyes flutter close, lowering his head so it rested gently against her hand. _Just gonna rest for a few minutes_ , he thought.

 When Mary Margaret and David came back to Emma’s room, both Emma and Killian were sound asleep.  

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to you for making it to the end of this fic, you superstar! I really hope you liked it! I hope it didn't seem like I was bashing Neal, I was trying really hard to make it genuine. I may make this a twoshot and repost it, if you guys think I need to. Please let me know!
> 
> Title taken from Olafur Arnalds's piece of the same name.


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